Beyond Levels:
summary of evidence
of outcomes and
impact
Research Report
September 2014
Julie Lilly, Alison Peacock – The Wroxham
transformative learning alliance
Sue Shoveller, Dr d’Reen Struthers –
South Farnham teaching school alliance
1
Contents
Summary of school comments regarding outcomes and impact of research study
2
3
Summary of school comments regarding outcomes
and impact of research study
1
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
• We have all become aware of the
demands of the new national
curriculum (NC)
•
All schools will be able to highlight
the progress made by students
•
It will be possible to review whether
this progress is in line with high
expectations
•
It will be possible to see where
progress fits along the NC timeline
The level of research within the
•
school has increased significantly
– all of the members of the key
stage 3 (KS) research group have •
become better informed and better
placed to lead change within their
departments
As from September 2014 most
departments will use marking grids
• We have engaged in professional
dialogue regarding year on year
standards
• We have been able to question the
meaning of standards
2
•
As from September 2014 all
teachers and teaching assistants
(TAs) will use Bloom’s questioning
cards.
•
The links with one of our partner
schools has increased –
particularly with the special
educational needs (SEN)
departments
•
By June 2015 ‘progression
objectives’ will be written by all
departments for trial in September
2015 and full introduction in 2016 if
deemed to be the right approach.
•
Planning at a department level
has been embedded
•
We have established a curriculum
change forum which will meet three
times next academic year. These
meetings will be to discuss the
differing approaches taken by
schools to curriculum change crossphase. A key part of this will be to
discuss assessment models. Partner
schools will present their
assessment models as a way of
stimulating debate. The forum will
have a generic element but we
intend to split into phase specific
3
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
meetings.
3
4
5
•
We managed to achieve
consensus on principles but not
methods
•
Overwhelmingly, schools will
move to a mastery model, though
some have chosen to call it a
competency model
•
Working collaboratively and
sharing ideas through a research
focused group has been an
extremely positive experience for
all of the participants
• We intend to set up a SOLO
Taxonomy group so that schools can
continue to share and develop
formative assessment practice
collaboratively
•
SOLO Taxonomy is worthy of
further exploration as a formative
assessment tool
•
• Involvement in the project has led
some participants to explore, develop
and refine their practice in relation to
recording, tracking and reporting
pupils’ attainment
Providing a forum for professional
discussion across schools is worth
developing further
• Sharing ideas has been positive and
will lead to greater trust and honesty
across the partnership
•
We have become more aware of
parental perception on children’s
assessment
•
•
Though slim, the findings so far
suggest that pupils welcome the
clarity of trajectory offered by
mastery statements and the fine
grained evaluation offered by the
inch pebble statements
As a result of this project we will be:
As a school by being able to
research how assessment is
planned for in different
establishments and contexts has
increased our awareness. The
professional dialogue from the
research has significantly reduced
workload on our staff due to the
use of information technology to
support this area of work
4
•
holding a number of awareness
meetings to ensure that parents, as
one of our key stakeholders, have a
wider understanding of which
assessments are used within school
and how these support their child
•
using information technology more
effectively to ensure assessment is
more stretching, achievable and
targeted for pupils
We aim to disseminate the research
and have already approached a number
OUTCOMES
6
•
As researchers we are now more
aware of how to address the new
‘assessment without levels’ from
September 2014. Undertaking the
research project has developed
our pedagogy and practice
of schools to continue this journey
together so that the new curriculum and
its assessment is more appropriate and
effective for the children in our care
•
Collaboration of primary,
secondary and higher educational
establishments – all working
towards the same goals
•
•
Practical assessment materials
•
that can be implemented into
schools for September as a
starting point (in times of uncertain
change)
•
CPD of all staff involved
•
7
IMPACT INDICATORS
•
•
All schools involved will be using the
materials for assessment and
meeting regularly for moderation and
professional dialogue
Further materials will be developed
and schools involved will hopefully
expand. We will look to publish and
disseminate these further afield
Research to continue (and lead
teacher working towards MPhil/PhD)
Cross-phase working has
• As a result of this project, all schools
provided significant opportunities
will continue to evaluate and revise
for colleagues to work together, to
their approaches to assessment in
share their experience, explore
relation to changes to the
and challenge misconceptions and
curriculum. In particular working
myths and to establish a strong
down from KS4 to KS3 into KS2
cross-phase assessment group.
• As a result of this project schools will
This professional dialogue
ensure the profile of pupil selfcontinues to support wider
assessment and clear targets are
professional development. In one
maintained as schools revise and
case, a secondary teacher
adapt their assessment practices.
volunteered to team teach with a
This will ensure that systems are
primary school colleague on an
concise, informative and workable
area of numeracy
and meet the needs of pupils,
parents, teachers and school
More detailed understanding of
cross-school/phase assessment
leaders
has been generated by sharing
• Appropriate points of contact have
different approaches to
been established across
assessment. There have also
school/phases which will be
been clear benefits of primary
invaluable for the wider work of the
5
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
alliance and through its work
towards the ‘big six’ and further
opportunities to engage in research
and development in order to refine
and improve the quality of teaching
and learning
feeder schools working closely
with their feeder secondary
schools. For example, discussions
concerning approaches to the
teaching of maths
8
•
The assessment group is very
keen to remain working together
offering further professional
support as we explore the
challenges of the new NC and the
implications of this on assessment
•
We have formed good
professional dialogue across
phases and schools, which have
been very positive. Whilst at first
appearing impossible, creating a
set of objectives which go across
primary and secondary is
achievable if the dialogue
continues and we receive good
support from secondary partners
•
Funding - generating funding from
sales of the software, assessment
objectives and support packages, in
order to reinvest in research and
assessment practice.
•
Impact in schools – the impact of the
assessment ladders, software and
support on schools teaching,
learning, progress and reporting
•
We have developed innovative
approaches to assessment which
have enabled us to completely
rethink how assessment can be
approached in primary schools –
and the potential for schools.
Schools are hubs of professional
expertise and can lead on the
highest quality projects
•
•
We have become clearer in terms
of the approaches to assessment
for next year and gained strength
by working collaboratively. The
schools have developed an
approach together and are now
disseminating this outstanding
Professional development - having
invested time and money in to
individuals to create the assessment
objectives, leaders will now have a
much clearer understanding of their
subjects moving forwards with the
new national curriculum and will
continue to develop effective
assessment practice having had the
time and support to immerse
themselves in the new approaches
6
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
practice. Developing it
collaboratively has enabled us to
draw from each other’s strengths
and ensure our approaches are
rigorous and sustainable
9
•
As teachers involved in the project • The research project has enabled a
we have become more confident
whole school focus to be
in implementing changes to the
implemented on the teaching of
teaching of reading, within the
reading linked to the new curriculum.
SEN context. Participation has
Observations indicate that staff have
impacted on our own learning and
an improved shared understanding
classroom teaching. We would like
of what is trying to be achieved. The
to continue with research and
senior leadership team are totally
consider undertaking further
committed to supporting the project
accredited study in the future. We
next year. The reading resource will
have seen the value and impact of
be implemented fully across both
carrying out research with support
schools. The research group will
from a higher educational institute
continue with two members
(HEI) and the need to be robust
becoming research champions in
and rigorous in our methodology
their own schools.
and evaluations. The joint working
“Personally the work has been very
with each other and support from
satisfying to bring the staff together”
HEI has been invaluable.
“Being involved in this research
project has helped me to rapidly
develop my own subject knowledge
and ensured I am aware of up to
date practice. I have been able to
share my learning with the staff at
my school, and this has had a direct
and positive impact on teaching and
learning. Our own school data for the
subject area also shows impact as
there is improved pupil progress in
reading. The research is also
beginning to have a wider impact as I
have opportunities to share the
findings outside of my own school. I
am now very keen to extend some
7
“The progress document has been
really useful to refer to as it has initiated
ideas and serves as reference for
progression… it has made it much
clearer to know where you are going in
terms of next steps for pupils”
“The data is showing evidence of
significant improvements not just in
reading but also in writing.”
“Planning is now consistent across key
stages”
“There seems to also be an impact on
writing”
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
areas of the project as there is
definitely a need for further research
in this area”
•
“Opened eyes to using books in a
different sort of way”
“The whole project has been fun and
enjoyable to work on, not a chore at all”
Teachers across both schools
report increased confidence in
collecting and evidencing
examples of pupil progress and
pupils work files confirm this
information
•
New assessments will be
implemented in reading across both
schools and shared with other
schools and sectors in educations
•
•
Data shows that this year pupils
are on track to meet or exceed
targets in reading and many were
set stretch targets midway through
the year
New reading resources being
available that are relevant to the
needs of learners
10 •
More professional dialogue about •
what true assessment is and looks
like
Begin to look at wider span of
assessment rather than replacing a
system of identifying children as
snap shots with another system
which does the same – true
assessment is about learning and
next steps not benchmarking against
hypothetical standard
•
Discussion about what
assessment should be and how it
can be used – not replacing like
for like
•
How planning for assessment
•
opportunities can help improve the
front end process of planning for
learning – support work with
developing a new primary
curriculum
CPD for staff around assessment,
planning for assessment
opportunities and their use needed
We have become much more
aware of the need to work
collaboratively on national
changes or initiatives in order to
achieve mutual understanding for
moderation and transition.
•
As a cluster, we have a better
understanding of the definitions of
effective assessment, both formative
and summative and are clear on the
need to devise a system to impact
learning rather than to become a
paper filling exercise.
•
We have now appointed an
11 •
•
Professional dialogue around
current issues is of paramount
8
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
importance in order to have a
deep understanding
•
12 •
assessment specialist leader of
education to coordinate the work
moving forward
We need to work harder at
engaging a wider range of
stakeholders/phases in order for
this to have further impact
•
Secondary schools have become
engaged and wish to share their
thinking around current and
proposed models for 14-15.
To be agreed within the network of
member schools – autumn 2014
We have all become better at
timetabling in opportunities for
pupil conferencing and feedback
•
Assessment in maths has become
more varied from a greater range
of sources
•
Professional dialogue has become
more reflective when using
educational theory and has
improved opportunities for sharing
resource and networking across
school alliances
13 •
We have become aware of the
need to change from a culture of
level descriptors that dictated what
the pupil should learn. Change
runs deeper that a simple
replacement of levels into an
opportunity for a fundamental shift
in the purpose and ambition within
KS3
•
Departments have been
empowered to develop a
simplified; skills based idea that
can be used for formative
assessment on a day to day basis.
•
A professional dialogue across a
9
• Be in a stronger position with regard
to life after levels
• Have revised schemes of work to
take account of the new PoS
• Be empowered to take the
necessary steps for curriculum
redesign that would not have
happened without this change at the
national level.
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
number of schools has developed
14 •
More effective sharing of best and
emerging practice eg one school
ran an introductory overview to
SOLO. More effective use of
existing online resources such as
the National Centre for Excellece
in the Teaching of Maths website1
•
Collaborative links between
schools have been developed and
maintained
•
15 •
1
•
A significant number of primary and
secondary schools within the
borough are aiming to introduce
SOLO Taxonomy into their planning,
teaching and assessment from
September 2014, with CPD support
from both teaching schools and the
local authority
•
The process of an action research
project is better understood by most
members of the group, including the
importance of the cyclic process of
plan / do / review. The risk element
of the project (eg some of our efforts
did not bear useful fruit) has made
some member of the group more
resilient and confident to experiment
with new ideas. Learning to manage
failure has led some teachers to
consider whether we are as a
profession too risk averse in our
pedagogies
•
Primary and secondary teachers
have recognised the benefit of cross
phase CPD wherever the focus is a
pedagogical one. This was evident
in a cross phase SOLO workshop
•
Have a common school
development strand across the
partnership
•
Have a common assessment
framework across the partnership
We all now know that no-one has
the answer, but a range of
possible and equally valid
alternatives are being trialled, in
schools across the Midlands
The project has consolidated an
emerging system leadership
approach to school development
planning. This is evidenced in the
development of joint school
development plans emerging from
https://www.ncetm.org.uk/
10
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
the project
and region
•
The project has enabled partner
schools to focus on strategic
learning orientated practices that
are child focused rather than
comparative performance
practices that have disparate
drivers
•
The project has enabled staff from
across the alliance to share
practice beyond the initial scope of
the enquiry thus developing a
relationship between schools at a
time of flux in the wider
educational context
16 •
•
Opportunities for professional
•
dialogue - planning and evaluation
•
Enhanced knowledge and
understanding of assessment
methodologies
•
Opportunities to become
‘influencers’ in the profession
•
Child-led assessment for learning
•
Staff have a much better
understanding of revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy compared with the
original version
•
•
•
Staff are able to use Bloom’s
planning grids effectively
Staff can articulate why planning
using Bloom’s leads to improved
learning for the children
Planning across the curriculum is
11
Have common learning to learn
protocols across the partnership and
region
Enhanced understanding of the use
of questioning and the language of
Bloom’s Taxonomy as well as
professional development in
designing assessment materials
•
Development of appropriate
summative assessment materials in
line with our current methodologies
in all other forms of assessment
•
Engaging children in the language of
revised Bloom’s Taxonomy
•
Use of Bloom’s Taxonomy in
planning to support differentiation for
both lower and high ability students
•
Our planning pro forma will include
Bloom’s verbs
•
Staff to use Bloom’s grid when
planning a new unit of work
OUTCOMES
17 •
•
•
18 •
•
19 •
IMPACT INDICATORS
focussing on putting thinking skills
as a key part of the process of
learning and not putting the
emphasis on content and facts
•
Lesson observations to include a
focus on higher order thinking for
MA children
•
Our school hopes to develop a
curriculum which meets the needs of
our speech and language needs
pupils and puts thinking and learning
skills at the heart of the planning
with the aim of developing
independent resilient learners
We have all become far more
aware of research and how the
process can be as valuable as the
findings themselves
•
Timetable for specified dedicated
oral feedback time to pupils for at
least maths and English
•
Enable staff in the early years
foundation stage to use tablets as a
means of recording and evidencing
pupil progress. Investigate software
to enable this to be structured and
embedded with all staff
•
As an alliance to continue our
research work to improve our own
pedagogy and to be at the forefront
of educational thinking
•
Accurate data collection
As a group, we would love the
opportunity to embark on further
research as we believe we would
be in a better situation now as we
have learnt so much along the
way
Our findings have confirmed our
belief in the benefits of dedicated
feedback time, and with young
pupils the importance and value of
oral feedback
Professional dialogue across
phases and schools
Collaborative planning for ease of
a simple yet effective system of
recording attainment and
achievement for pupils, teachers
and parents
Development of 18 case studies of •
current assessment practice
12
Importance of fitness for purpose of
assessment methodology across
OUTCOMES
IMPACT INDICATORS
across all subjects taught at KS3
20 •
differing subject domains
Review of mathematics
assessment and pedagogy in one
specific year group across several
primary schools
13
•
Increased demand of new NC needs
to be recognised
•
Shared moderation of what has
been learnt and understood rather
than ‘best fit to a level’
•
Pupil progress meetings between
teachers and school leaders need
clarity about next steps for teaching
© Crown Copyright 2014
Reference: DFE-375B
ISBN: 978-1-78105-419-2
You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or
medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence or email:
psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Where we have identified any third party copyright
information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at Teaching Schools
Division, NCTL, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG8 1DH / email:
teaching.schools@education.gsi.gov.uk
This document is available for download at www.gov.uk/government/publications